The Japanese Cabinet established a nongovernmental organization (the Drug Abuse Prevention Center) to implement national campaigns of drug abuse prevention and education activities. Its slogan, which aims at public intolerance toward drug use/abuse, is "Dame. Zettai." (No, Absolutely No!).

Drugs are restricted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare pursuant the following laws: Narcotics Control Law, the Psychotropics Control Law, the Cannabis Control Law, and the Amphetamine and Methamphetamine Control Law. Several ministries share the load of enforcement (Customs for import/export offenses, local police for possession and use, etc.).

Since April 2007, in response to the increasing availability of grey-market psychoactives, many substances including tryptamines, phenethylamines and piperazines have been controlled as 'designated substances' (Shitei-Yakubutsu) by the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law.